The Norwegian national folk music/dance competition, NM i Folkemusikk 2009, had some unexpected and pleasant surprises, particularly in the Senior Dance competition for regular fiddle.
This year, by the way, there was no Klasse B (Open / Adult class) or Klasse A (Master Class) categories. Most categories were simply split into Junior and Senior.
One of the pairs dancing who impressed me in the competition won the category. I wasn't able to take video of them, so I was particularly pleased to see that someone had taken and uploaded a video of the winning pair dancing it at the Sunday Master Concert.
The dance is Finnskogpols (Pol from Finnskog) from Hedmark. It's my understanding that this pols almost disappeared, but it has been brought back and is now being danced and taught again.
The history of the Forest Finns who settled the area is interesting and well worth reading about.
The pair dancing, Bjørn Sverre Hol Haugen and Veslemøy Nordset, are dancing in what are known as "reconstructed bunads" — meaning that these are costumes that are not based on a living and unbroken tradition of use, but rather have been put together using historical sources and garments available. They are beautiful!
The tune they are dancing to is "Pols etter Martinus Amundsen frå Sørskogbygda". I don't yet have the name of the musicians, but part of the charm of this presentation is the unusual combination of violin/fiddle and cello.
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